Malaysia
Closed: spouse may not work. This route is not ranked.
Verdict
Malaysia fails two of your hard requirements. Your spouse can join only some months after you and has no right to work. Bangladeshis are shut out of the Graduate Pass, and PR is discretionary and rare, so this is a cheap, quick degree with no settlement road. Keep it only as a low-cost fallback.
checked 14 Nov 2026 · source money plan for this route compare
- Can the spouse come
- Conditional
- Conditions
The Immigration Department page says only Student Pass holders at Master's or PhD level may bring dependants (spouse, children under 18, parents and parents-in-law). EMGS says postgraduate students at public and private universities are eligible. Your spouse does not come at the same time as you.
UTM's international office states that Immigration processes the dependant pass only after your own pass is completed, the dependant must be physically in Malaysia, and a new dependant pass takes 2 to 4 months. Your spouse gets a Long Term Social Visit Pass, maximum 12 months at a time, valid only while your pass is valid.
Documents: marriage certificate (attested/translated), health insurance, stamped personal bond, latest 3 months of bank statements. Some nationalities need a Dependant VAL before travel (UTM names only Afghanistan as an example); whether Bangladesh is on that list is not confirmed.
A Prothom Alo op-ed (19 Sep 2026) says the programme must be longer than 12 months. The official Immigration and EMGS pages list no such condition. Universiti Malaya's Master of Data Science is only 2 semesters plus a special semester (about 12 months), so ask the university in writing before paying.
- Spouse work rights
- None
- Spouse work in detail
The Immigration Department student pass page says dependants are not allowed to work, run a business, or take part in political activity. The only route is for your spouse to find an employer who sponsors a separate Employment Pass. A revised expatriate salary policy has been in force since 1 June 2026 (ESD announcements page).
MIDA's 1 June 2026 guideline shows a floor of RM5,000/month basic salary for selected services, RM7,000 for manufacturing, and at least 3 years' related experience for degree holders. This fails your hard requirement.
- Student work hours
Maximum 20 hours/week, with prior Immigration approval (job offer letter plus university support letter), only at restaurants, petrol stations, mini markets, hotels and on campus; no front-desk or cashier work. The EMGS FAQ says this is allowed only during semester breaks.
The Immigration page states the 20-hour cap and approved locations without repeating the semester-break wording. In practice near zero income.
- First year for two
- about 27.4 lakh USD 22,000 before earnings inside your 30 lakh plan
- checked 14 Nov 2026 · source
- Tuition in detail
Not free. Taught master's total programme fee for international students is roughly RM26,000 to RM55,000 (about USD 6,400 to 13,500 at 4.085 MYR/USD) for 1 to 1.5 years. Universiti Malaya Master of Data Science: RM41,700 full-time, excluding 6% SST (RM44,202 with tax, about USD 10,820).
The page does not say whether that is the whole programme (2 semesters plus 1 special semester); an aggregator says it is the total. Aggregator figures only (not confirmed): APU MSc Data Science and Business Analytics RM44,800 to RM54,650; UTM MSc Business Intelligence and Analytics about RM26,200; UTM MBA about RM37,800.
- Money to show in detail
No fixed official show-money amount exists. The Immigration student pass page, the EMGS required-documents page and the EMGS FAQ state no figure for the student.
For the dependant pass, Immigration asks for proof of financial capability as the latest 3 months of bank statements (or a scholarship/embassy sponsorship letter), with no minimum balance published. Any amount is set by the individual university: not confirmed. Separately, a refundable personal bond is lodged through the university.
The EMGS bond PDF (dated 2015) has tiers of RM200 to RM2,000 and RM1,500 for unlisted countries; the tier for Bangladesh is not confirmed.
- Budget note
Rates on 14 Nov 2026 (XE mid-market): 1 USD = 124.79 BDT and 4.085 MYR. Typical Kuala Lumpur case: tuition about USD 9,500 to 10,800 for the degree, living for two about USD 11,000/year (an estimate at RM3,500 to 4,000/month, no official source), government and EMGS fees about USD 1,050, flights about USD 700 (estimate).
That is roughly USD 22,000 to 24,000 in year one with essentially no earnings, because your spouse cannot work and you can work only limited hours in approved outlets. The cheapest route (public university outside KL at about RM26,000 tuition and RM2,500/month living, about USD 14,400 plus fees) comes to about USD 15,500 to 16,000.
Fee arithmetic, from the EMGS calculator and Immigration fee page: student = processing RM1,728 + 8% service tax RM138 + eVAL RM159 + pass RM60 + insurance RM498 to 644 + medical RM250 + i-Kad RM50 + visa RM20 = about RM2,900 to 3,050 (USD 710 to 750).
Spouse = Journey Performed fee RM500 to 550 + pass RM90 + visa RM20 + insurance about RM500 = about RM1,150 (USD 280). The refundable personal bond is extra.
- Realistic earnings
Your spouse: zero legal income on a dependant pass. You: at most 20 hours/week in restaurants, mini markets, hotels or petrol stations with Immigration approval, at about minimum wage.
That is RM1,700/month full-time since February 2025 (not confirmed on an official page; one Wikipedia table still shows RM1,500), so perhaps USD 150 to 250 in a month worked.
English is widely used and Kuala Lumpur has a real tech and analytics market, but a foreigner needs an Employment Pass at RM5,000+/month (about USD 1,225) to work properly. Plan to fund the whole stay from savings.
Applying
checked 14 Nov 2026 · source- Visa
- Student Pass (applied through EMGS; eVAL = electronic Visa Approval Letter, then a Single Entry Visa for Bangladeshis before travel)
- Lands
- April 2027 (estimate) An estimate, not a promise.
You: late February to March 2027 if you apply in November 2026. Your spouse: roughly April to July 2027, after your pass is endorsed.
- Next intakes
- Universiti Malaya Semester II, March 2027 (postgraduate coursework and mixed mode)Deadline: Opened 7 Sep 2026, closes 30 Jan 2027 (study.um.edu.my/how-to-apply)Still open: Yes. Apply by early December to leave time for the offer and the eVAL
- UTM February 2027 (postgraduate, international)Deadline: Open 1 Nov 2026 to 31 Dec 2026 (admission.utm.my)Still open: Yes, but tight for the visa: eVAL charter is 14 working days after a complete file
- Private universities (Taylor's, Sunway, APU) February to April 2027 rolling intakesDeadline: Rolling; not confirmed on official pagesStill open: Likely yes; not confirmed
- September/October 2027 (UM Semester I October; UTM September)Deadline: Not yet published for general coursework programmes (UM lists only two dentistry programmes, 11 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027)Still open: Not yet open
- Typical length
- 15 months
- Where to apply from Bangladesh
The student pass is filed online through the university or EMGS. Bangladesh is on the EMGS list of countries that need a Single Entry Visa before travel; the EMGS FAQ says it is obtained through Malaysia's eVISA system. The visa fee for Bangladeshi nationals is RM20 (single or multiple entry) on the Immigration fee page.
No interview found. Post-arrival medical screening at an EMGS panel clinic is mandatory. Whether a visit to the Malaysian High Commission in Dhaka is ever needed (for the visa sticker or marriage-certificate attestation) is not confirmed; marriage certificates reportedly need Malaysian mission attestation.
Visa and passport risk
checked 14 Nov 2026 · source- Risk for a Bangladesh passport
- Medium
- Why
No official refusal rate is published. No suspension of student passes for Bangladeshis found, and the EMGS required-documents page lists no Bangladesh-specific extra document.
A Prothom Alo op-ed (19 Sep 2026, by a Universiti Sains Malaysia lecturer) says Malaysia's Higher Education Ministry closed colleges and tightened scrutiny of Bangladeshi applications after fake-enrolment cases. It says Bangladeshi enrolment passed 11,000, up 45% in a year.
From 1 Sep 2026 Malaysia stopped multiple-entry tourist/social visit visas for Bangladeshis (press report citing an Immigration notice), which matters if your spouse first enters as a visitor. Bangladesh is excluded from the Graduate Pass.
- Visa processing time
EMGS client charter: 14 working days for a complete application; eVAL valid 6 months from issue (both on the EMGS FAQ). Realistic end to end 4 to 8 weeks; up to 3 months reported unofficially for Bangladeshis. Dependant pass afterwards: 2 to 4 months (UTM).
- checked 14 Nov 2026 · source
- Hassle
- 6 out of 10 10 is the most hassle. This site's rating, not a checked fact.
After the degree and PR
checked 14 Nov 2026 · source- Work after the degree
Effectively none for Bangladeshis. The 12-month Graduate Pass (RM600, not extendable, part-time work in permitted sectors) covers 32 nationalities and Bangladesh is not one of them, on both the EMGS graduate-pass page and the Immigration FAQ as of 14 Nov 2026. China and India are included only until 31 Dec 2026.
The 'Graduate Plus/Graduate Pass for Bangladeshis' was agreed in principle in August 2025 and there is still no sign of it on the official lists. To stay, you need an employer-sponsored Employment Pass at RM5,000+/month basic salary.
- checked 14 Nov 2026 · source
- PR route
Weak. Master's, then an employer-sponsored Employment Pass (RM5,000+ basic salary; succession-plan rule since 1 June 2026), then after about 5 years of continuous stay an Entry Permit (PR) application in the 'fully foreign national' category.
The Immigration permit page says the Entry Permit exists, is revocable, and has four categories, but gives no years or points. It is discretionary and rarely granted to foreign employees.
Citizenship by naturalisation under Article 19 is commonly cited as 10 of the preceding 12 years of residence plus adequate Malay, and is rarely granted; this rule is not confirmed on an official page.
- Language for PR
Bahasa Malaysia proficiency is reported as one of the points criteria for the Entry Permit; the exact level is not confirmed on an official page.
Recent rule changes
checked 14 Nov 2026 · source- 2025 and 2026
1 June 2026: revised expatriate (Employment Pass) salary policy and succession-plan requirement took effect (ESD announcements).
The MIDA guideline of 1 June 2026 shows RM5,000 selected services / RM7,000 manufacturing term posts and RM15,000 key posts; the widely reported RM20,000 / RM10,000 / RM5,000 category floors are not confirmed on an official page. 1 June 2026: 1:3 internship policy for employers of expatriates. 1 Sept 2026: multiple-entry tourist/social visit visas ended for Bangladeshis (press, citing Immigration).
Graduate Pass list remains 32 countries, China and India only until 31 Dec 2026, Bangladesh still excluded. EMGS 2026 insurance plans RM498 to 644. 8% service tax on EMGS processing fees since 1 March 2024. Tighter scrutiny of Bangladeshi applications reported Sept 2026.
- Corrected in this check
- Exchange rates on 14 Nov 2026: 124.79 BDT/USD and 4.085 MYR/USD
- The visa fee for Bangladeshis is RM20
- The UM March 2027 deadline is 30 Jan 2027, on the university's how-to-apply page
- The UTM February 2027 window is 1 Nov to 31 Dec 2026
- September/October 2027: UM has not published general coursework dates; only two dentistry programmes are listed
- The dependants list includes parents-in-law; the dependant bank-statement rule has no minimum
- Student work rule: the 'only during semester breaks' wording is from EMGS; the Immigration page states only the 20-hour cap, approved locations and no front-desk work
- Employment Pass floors: the RM20,000/RM10,000/RM5,000 category figures are not on an official page; the official MIDA guideline shows RM5,000 (services) / RM7,000 (manufacturing) term posts and RM15,000 key posts, plus 3 years' experience for degree holders
- The UM Master of Data Science is about 12 months, which matters if the unconfirmed 'programme longer than 12 months' dependant condition is real
- Fee arithmetic: about USD 1,050 for the couple including 8% service tax and spouse insurance; first-year total 22,000 and upfront cash 9,000, including a rental deposit
- Tuition per year is 9,500 (UM with 6% SST is about USD 10,820)
- Personal bond: the PDF tiers are RM200 to RM2,000, with RM1,500 as the default; the tier for Bangladesh is not confirmed, so 'RM750 or RM1,000' is not confirmed
- The Graduate Pass fee is RM600 and China and India are included only until 31 Dec 2026, on official pages
- No proof-of-funds figure in USD is given for the couple because no official figure exists
Not verified
unverified- Whether a 'Graduate Plus' pass for Bangladeshis was rolled out in 2026 (the official lists on 14 Nov 2026 still exclude Bangladesh)
- Personal bond amount for Bangladesh
- Whether a Bangladeshi spouse needs a Dependant VAL before travel or can enter on a single-entry visit visa and convert in-country
- Whether the dependant pass needs a programme longer than 12 months (press claim only)
- Any minimum bank balance a university asks for the student or the dependant pass
- Employment Pass category floors of RM20,000 / RM10,000 for Categories I and II
- Living cost for a couple and flight prices (estimates) and the RM1,700 minimum wage
- APU, Taylor's, Sunway and UTM programme fees and private-university 2027 intake dates
- Whether UM's RM41,700 is the whole programme fee
- PR years, points threshold and language level; citizenship residence rule
- Refusal rate for Bangladeshi student pass applicants (none published)
- Whether any in-person step at the Malaysian High Commission in Dhaka is required
Confidence in this page: Medium.
Programmes
0 in the programme listSources
24 official pagesOnly Master's/PhD student pass holders may bring dependants (incl. parents-in-law); dependants not allowed to work; 3 months bank statements, no minimum stated
www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/main-services/pass/student-pass/Postgraduates eligible for dependant pass; LTSVP max 12 months at a time; Journey Performed fee RM500; applied by institution for dependants who are in Malaysia
hub.emgs.com.my/dependant-pass-2/Dependant pass only after student's pass is completed; dependant must be in Malaysia; 2 to 4 months; JP fee RM506 to 550; some nationalities need Dependant VAL
international.utm.my/dependent-pass/EMGS FAQ: 14 working day charter, eVAL valid 6 months, SEV via eVISA, work only in semester breaks, postgraduates may bring dependants, post-arrival medical mandatory
educationmalaysia.gov.my/get-in-touch/faq?cat=b5ba3b1d-d082-435c-8958-bd7d9e669f3dEMGS fees: processing RM1,728, 8% service tax, eVAL RM159, pass RM60, medical RM250, i-Kad RM50, insurance RM498 to 644, Bangladesh visa RM20
visa.educationmalaysia.gov.my/student-visa/calculate-application-feesVisa fee for Bangladesh nationals RM20 single and multiple entry
www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/main-services/visa/visa-fees/Bangladesh requires a visa; Visa With Reference applies
www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/main-services/visa/visa-requirement-by-country/Bangladesh on the Single Entry Visa list
visa.educationmalaysia.gov.my/guidelines/sev-required-countriesRequired documents; no financial minimum; no Bangladesh-specific document; personal bond refundable
visa.educationmalaysia.gov.my/guidelines/required-documentsPersonal bond tiers RM200 to RM2,000, RM1,500 for other countries (Bangladesh tier not readable)
visa.educationmalaysia.gov.my/media/cms_upload/Personal-Bond-Requirementsv1.2.pdfGraduate Pass: 32 nationalities, Bangladesh absent, 12 months, China/India until 31 Dec 2026
visa.educationmalaysia.gov.my/graduate-passImmigration FAQ: Graduate pass 32 countries, RM600, not extendable, part-time work, Bangladesh absent
www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/contact-us/frequently-ask-question/faq-graduate-social-visit-pass/Graduate Plus/Graduate Pass for Bangladeshis agreed in principle only
en.ittefaq.com.bd/13030/malaysia-likely-to-offer-graduate-plus-visa-forTightened scrutiny of Bangladeshi applications; 11,000+ students, up 45%; dependant pass said to need programme over 12 months; spouse has no work right
en.prothomalo.com/opinion/op-ed/8y9qrb55mzMultiple-entry tourist/social visit visas ended for Bangladeshis from 1 Sep 2026
www.dhakatimes24.com/2026/09/03/412019Revised EP salary policy and succession plan effective 1 June 2026; 1:3 internship policy
esd.imi.gov.my/portal/latest-news/announcement/MIDA EP guideline 1 June 2026: term post basic salary at least RM5,000 (selected services) or RM7,000 (manufacturing), key post RM15,000, degree holders need 3 years' experience
www.mida.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Guidelines-EP_1-June-2026_latest-1.pdfEP holders need salary above RM5,000 to bring dependants; EP up to 60 months
esd.imi.gov.my/portal/expatriates/myxpats/key-services/employment-pass/UM Master of Data Science: RM41,700 international excl. 6% SST, 2 semesters + special semester, March and October intakes, IELTS 6.0, non-science bachelor needs CGPA 3.50
study.um.edu.my/master-of-data-science-courseworkUM March 2027 postgraduate application window 7 Sep 2026 to 30 Jan 2027
study.um.edu.my/how-to-applyUTM February 2027 international postgraduate applications 1 Nov to 31 Dec 2026
admission.utm.my/international-postgraduate/Entry Permit (PR): four categories, revocable; no years or points on page
www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/main-services/permit/1 USD = 4.085 MYR mid-market
www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1&From=USD&To=MYR1 USD = 124.79 BDT mid-market
www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1&From=USD&To=BDT